Flexible, sealable and re-sealable pouches are commercially used for storing liquids, powders or loose-fill goods such as, for example, snack foods and liquid juices. One reason for using these pouches for these types of items is that they are easily placed in the pouches, with the quantity loaded controlled by either product weight or volume. In other words, the sealable or re-sealable end is simply opened and the liquid or snack foods are simply poured or drop-feed into the pouches and then sealed. These pouches are not used, however, for storing larger, solid items in which a predetermined orientation, such as stacking, side-by-side placement and the like, is needed because of the complexity in inserting these items in the pouch. Such items would have to be manually inserted into the pouches which is not economically feasible.
Although the presently known and utilized method and apparatus for storing items in pouches are satisfactory, they include drawbacks. Inserting solid objects into flexible pouches in a predetermined orientation is difficult and not commercially feasible.
Consequently, a need exists for a method and device for inserting relatively large, solid objects into flexible pouches.